Pre-printed greeting cards and postcards are known to be manufactured and sold, typically at retail establishments, to assist individuals in exchanging greetings with others. Such greeting cards typically have a construction primarily of paper or paper-like materials and typically include a message and artwork of some type. Many greeting cards and postcards include plenty of space for customization, such as for allowing a sender to write a personal message in handwriting directly on the greeting card or postcard
Greeting cards typically have a theme which correlates with some event which might typically call for the sending of a greeting card. Examples include birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, illnesses, graduations, etc. In addition to the theme associated with the card, cards also can be distinguished in other ways, such as with some cards being humorous and other cards being more sentimental or serious.
Because of the many different types of greetings and the many different particular tastes and styles enjoyed by different individuals, an exceptionally large number of greeting cards must be inventoried at stores if “just the right card” is to be provided for the purchaser. In many instances, multiple aisles of a store are devoted to the display of such cards. Display space within a store is quite valuable to the retailer, such that there is a continuing need to diminish the amount of space required to display a certain number of greeting cards. When the amount of display space available is fixed, it is desirable to have as many greeting card options as possible available within that display space.
Furthermore, one drawback of greeting cards is that they are typically exchanged and enjoyed for a very brief period of time and then typically thrown away. The recipient of the card does not have any opportunity to recoup the value of the card which has been received, but must rather purchase new cards when greetings are to be exchanged back to the sender or to others. Such a disposability cycle for greeting cards is undesirable in that it inefficiently utilizes the natural resources which go into the manufacture of the greeting cards. Furthermore, economically it is less efficient for the users to have such greeting cards used only once and then disposed of. While it would be desirable to reuse a greeting card, such reuse is hampered in that the card has typically already been customized by the sender so that it cannot be reused by the recipient. Furthermore, the recipient may need a greeting card with a different message to accommodate a different special occasion, so that the greeting cards which have been received by the recipient are not suitable for sending out again.
Furthermore, twenty-first century society has gained a significantly heightened awareness of the benefits of reusability and sustainability practices. Such reusability and sustainability practices have found their way into many consumer items. However, greeting cards have not heretofore enjoyed a practical reusable greeting or postcard. Accordingly, this desire to maximize reusability and sustainability is to a great extent frustrated when such individuals are faced with a need to purchase greeting cards.
Envelopes are primarily configured so that they are only used once and disposed of. In at least one instance, an envelope is known which can be inverted and refolded/reconstructed after initial use to be ready for a single further use, such as when in the form of a utility bill envelope which can be converted into an envelope in which a payment can be returned. However, such envelopes are only usable twice and require significant effort to reconfigure the envelope for reuse.